My First Thanksgiving
by Unsung Heros
Summary: At six years old, I had my first Thanksgiving.


Story Title: My First Thanksgiving

Summary: At six years old, I had my first Thanksgiving.

Pairing: Seth

Rating: T

Word Count: (not including summary or title): 6375

Disclaimer: All things Twilight is the sole property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

Some people have it all while others have nothing at all.

I was one of those who had nothing. I am somewhere at the bottom of my family. If you were to make a family tree of my family, there would be so many off-shooting branches that it would be difficult to figure out. I lived with my Aunt Tanya. She was always around but usually drunk or high, sometimes even all the above.

My mom, Irena, left me here after I was born. She doesn't know who my father is. I have four brothers, James, Alec, Colin, and Brady and three sisters, Leah, Jane, and Heidi, that I know of, anyway. God knows how many more may be out there from my father. My mom only knows the name of the father of two of my siblings, the twins, Jane and Alec. Their father, Randall, was killed in a gunfight when they were six, and I was three.

We lived in a small, three-bedroom apartment. It had so many holes in the walls and windows. Now I only saw Irena maybe two or three times a year, if we saw her at all. She usually yelled at us "ungrateful" children anyway. Honestly, Irena was not much better than Tanya. We were only good for a check. My cousins weren't much better. Riley, Felix, Gianna, and Amber were trouble, to say the least. Well, no two of them had the same father.

Clean clothes that fit were a hard thing to come by. Tanya got money for rent, food, and other essentials, but I think she spent it on herself. Specifically on booze and pills or whatever drugs she took. My oldest brother, James, spent time in and out of jail. He just turned twenty. He was in one of the local gangs, and there were illegal guns and drugs in our home. No matter how many times I tried to get a teacher or someone else involved to get away from this hell, the police said there was nothing that could be done. Child Protective Services wouldn't get involved. There was nothing unusual about several poor children not getting taken care of in Schenectady, New York. There were so many it would almost be laughable if it were not so sad.

So we stayed in that apartment. When I was six, there was talk on the street that on the next street over a church had bought one of the houses. They wanted to turn it into a cool place to hang out for us kids, a safe haven. Yeah, right, like we believed that would happen. Nothing in Schenectady was safe. As a six year old I knew that. Were there murders every day where I lived? No, but there were plenty of shootings. Drive-by shootings weren't uncommon, but most people didn't die. Thank God! Bullets would fly into nearby homes, hitting or nearly hitting people watching TV with their families, like Bree, who was shot while watching TV in her living room. The bullet went through the bun at the top of her head, barely missing her skull. She had short hair for a while afterward, but that was better than her funeral.

The abandoned home in question was eventually remodeled, and people moved in. Edward and Bella Masen were a young couple without kids. He was finishing his nursing degree and then planned to go to school to be a pastor. They started a Bible study group for the neighborhood kids in what they called the Lighthouse. At first, there weren't many kids who came, but some of my cousins, siblings, and I went. James and Alec never went. But James went back to jail after threatening to kill Bella because she wouldn't give him cookies. Yeah, he was a real winner. He tried to have her taken care of, but nobody wanted to touch the woman who lived in God's house.

The thing was going there felt like home. Bella always had warm drinks and snacks in the winter for us and in the warmer months, cold drinks. Sometimes, she would have little meals for us. To most people, eggs, bacon, and toast would not be a big deal. But for me, it was amazing! She was especially nice to my family and the girls next door. Those two, Anna and Bree, were both sweet and well behaved, unlike my family. I swear you would think we were raised by wolves. Every Friday, Bella had to buy a new bag of lemons for the salmon she made for Edward because they always ate all her lemons! Who am I kidding? I ate my fair share as well!

One of my favorite memories involved Bella walking down my street and seeing me on my porch. I was alone, scared, and cold. I was wearing thin PJs and no socks with my shoes, and I didn't have a coat on. I was being punished for something, again. James was trying to get me to run drugs, and I did not want to. I knew that if I did, I could get hurt-or dead like Diego. He was a drug runner, and I knew he wasn't much older than me. I didn't want to end up dead. I wanted to get out of my house. I wanted to have a family like Bella and Edward. While I loved my siblings, I knew that they were okay with where we were. I was not.

That night, Bella walked towards me, and we chatted. I told her what James was trying to make me do and what my aunt was saying. She told me that if I wanted to get out of that life, I could. It was my right.

"Seth. Know that not everything in life is fair. Sometimes, life is not good. But in the end, if you do what is right, you will have your reward. Jesus and God love you and so do Edward and I. Remember, you can say no, and you can always come over to our home or even Anna and Bree's house. Their parents would let you in if we weren't there."

I nodded.

"Sadly, I understand what it feels like to not have a caring and loving mother. Growing up was not easy for me either. Not as bad as some have it-my dad has always loved me. I was daddy's little girl. I was and still am his world. My mother, on the other hand, was not a very loving woman. She paid attention to me only when in public or when my dad was around. When it was just us, she always told me I was a terrible excuse for a daughter, and she wished she never had me. I only was good for trapping my dad, Charlie, making him stay with her. I never told him about how bad it was. I was afraid the meanness would be worse if I did. I regret letting her continue to treat me badly. But, I am working on it, and when the time is right, I will tell her and my dad my feelings. As will you if you ever want to."

I felt more at ease with Bella knowing that she understood to some extent what I was going through. She seemed to have her life so put together. Maybe her dad helped her a lot.

A week later, I got kicked out again. I walked to the yellow, two-story house with brown trim. Both cars were in the street, and I knocked. Edward looked shocked when he saw me. Colin and Brady had followed me because they wanted homework help. Leah followed me because she just liked to.

"Hey, everyone, please come in. Are you kids hungry? I am sure Bella made enough to feed you all."

That night, I ate like a king. We had chicken noodle soup, which was a well-balanced meal with lots of carrots, onions, garlic, celery, peas, corn, broccoli, and tomatoes. We ate three bowls each! It was definitely better than whatever was for dinner at home. Whatever was served, if anything, was probably cold and gross! I am sure of it! After dinner was cleaned up, Brady and Colin had homework to do that they needed help with, and Edward had them do it at the table. Leah and I were given some paper to draw on to work on our letters, which Bella helped me with me. That was so much fun!

I was told that I should have been in kindergarten. Leah also should have been in school, maybe second grade. But nobody signed us up. When Bella found out that we stayed home with my aunt, she got upset. On days she did not have to work, she came and got us. We would hang out reading, writing, and drawing. We played outside in the yard. We had a lot of quality time with her. I loved that time with Bella.

Sometimes, I would fall asleep on their couch, and when I woke up, a blanket would be on top of me. Even if I was too warm, I never took that blanket off. It made me feel important- loved and wanted. It was odd looking. Bella said she made it herself. It was inspired by the fabric, which had a Chinese feel to it. She said the pattern was an Oriental Lantern. I loved it. On warmer days, she gave me a blanket she had knitted that was thinner and not as warm. I had many great days with my Bella. Edward would come home from work, excited to talk about what we learned that day, what we ate, and where we might have gone. I told him all about the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, tuna fish sandwiches, chili, soups, and whatever other recipes Bella needed a tester for. Sometimes, it was even dessert! That was my favorite!

The worst part was my aunt never knew Leah or I were missing-nor did she care. Bella would always leave a note where I was just in case. Even when she would tell Aunt Tanya, there was never a response. Bella even let me take my own baths and gave me clean clothes to wear while she washed mine. Having warm water to play and wash with was heaven!

Several times, I heard Edward and Bella talking about my family and me. It bothered me. I wanted them to be my parents, but sadly, it seemed their hands were tied. They wouldn't have been able to take us in since they were not foster parents, and no matter what, the family would be separated. I did not understand what they meant until many years later.

After Halloween, they started talking about a holiday that I have heard of but never understood-Thanksgiving. It was a holiday that helped us to be thankful for the blessings that God had given us. The Bible study kids were all asked if they wanted to go, and we said yes, of course! The Masens were amazing cooks!

Each parent was asked, except Anna and Bree's since they knew and were bringing a dessert-some pie. All of them said yes. Aunt Tanya was pissed Bella and Edward would bother her over something that trivial. When they asked her about any allergies, she told them she didn't know and didn't care. When Bella asked why she didn't care, Tanya said, "that would be one less mouth to feed if they didn't make it, right? And if you kill them, I might still get their benefits."

Bella saw red. Edward gathered her and us kids and brought us back to the Lighthouse. Bella was still upset when we got back to the house. She sat on one of the couches, and I sat next to her. She looked at me and grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch, putting it on my lap and covering me. It was my lantern quilt, well, mine while we were there. Leah sat next to me. I asked Bella for a hug, and she gave me one. I always felt safe and loved with her in the Lighthouse.

After a little while, Bella and Edward left us to watch TV while they went to the kitchen. When they came back, they told us they had called Edward's dad, Carlisle, who was the Pastor of the church, and he agreed to come over. He told us Edward's mom and Carlisle's wife, Esme, might come over later,too. A short time later, Carlisle came in and talked to each of us. After talking to us and then Bella and Edward, he made some phone calls. Several minutes later, four more people came to the Lighthouse.

"Everyone, these are Officers Sam Uley, and Jacob Black, Sargent Harry Clearwater, and Police Chief Charlie Swan. Gentlemen, the kids are Seth, Leah, Colin, and Brody Denali," Edward said, pointing each person out. I waved.

"All right, to be up front, there are a lot of things that we have noticed about your house that makes us worried. We have tried to help each of you to the best of our abilities. This is why Bella and I allowed you to come over whenever you wanted, helped you with your homework, made school lessons for you, and made sure you were clean and had clean clothes. We would do it again in a second. But tonight, your Aunt Tanya said something to us that was not okay. It made Bella and I worry about your safety more than we already do. And sadly, that is a lot. While I know that you were taught by your family to not talk with the police, you really need to. We trust these men with not only your lives but ours. If anything were to happen to me, Jacob would be the man to watch over Bella," Edward said.

"Charlie is my dad. Jacob has been my best friend and brother since we were babies. Harry is like another father to me, and Sam is like an older brother, one I never asked for." Bella laughed, and Sam stuck his tongue out at her. Everyone laughed, and Charlie coughed.

"All right, this is serious. There is a chance that nobody heard what was said. But I went to the house and looked around."-he paused-"Needless to say, you kids are not going back, and neither are your other siblings." Charlie stopped when he saw Colin's hand raised.

"Yes, Colin?" Bella asked.

"What about our cousins?" Colin asked.

"I thought that all the kids there were your siblings. If you have cousins, then your cousins won't be allowed to stay there either. I am sorry. They should be coming soon." Charlie looked towards the door. "In the meantime, I ordered some pizza, and it should be here soon…" Charlie was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

Edward went to answer the door and found Bree and Anna on the other side.

"What can I do for you ladies? It is not steal-all-Bella's-lemons," Edward said with a laugh.

"Actually, Mom wanted to let you know that she is making two pumpkin pies. She wanted to ask Bella if she wanted to help, or if we could borrow your kitchen, so Riley and dad don't steal them," Bree said with a sigh.

"That should be fine, Bree. You ladies need anything? Maybe some help?" Edward asked.

"Nope! We will get Mom and be right here! Thanks, Edward!" Anna said over her shoulder.

"We will be having company over to do some baking. Maybe Mom should come to help, Dad?" Edward asked.

"I will call her, Son. I am sure she would love to bake with the ladies." Carlisle got his phone out to call his wife, who happily agreed to help with the baking.

"Charlie, Sam, and Harry, do you think your wives would want to bake for Thanksgiving? Jake, you got someone who might want to join? Embry?" Edward said, pulling Jake into a hug and messing his hair up.

"Embry is a great baker, but he is not my type. My dream woman is happily taken by a smug, almost nurse who wants to spread God's word, so yeah." Jacob laughed, pushing Edward. Charlie and Carlisle laughed at their exchange.

"Is this normal for them? They are fighting but not," I asked Bella.

Bella laughed. "They love each other like brothers. Jacob has always loved me, but he loves me like a brother loves his sister. He has a girlfriend. Jake, how is Vanessa anyways? Is she coming to Thanksgiving tomorrow?"

"Of course, she is! Ness can't wait for your meal! Me either, actually! She says I am getting too skinny, and you need to feed me like the old days. Remember those days when we lived together, Edward?" Jacob and Edward laughed and started rambling in between laughs. Bella just rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Seth, we have a kitchen to prepare. Can you help me, my sweet boy?" Like I would say no to Bella.

"Can I wear an apron and that funny looking hat? I need a chair, so I can be most helpful!" Bella laughed, handing me my chef apron and hat. Anna and Bree came in with their mom, Kate, just as she finished helping me get them on.

"Thank you for having us on short notice. Garrett is driving me crazy, wanting me to make extra pies for him, and he won't let off!" Kate said in a tired voice.

"Don't worry, the pies will be safe here. Several others are coming. Edward's mom, Esme, will make cookies with the kids and another pie. I think apple. Sue is good at whatever she does. My mom, Renee, may come over as well. If she comes, she may observe because she can't cook or bake. Don't listen to any suggestion she makes without talking to Esme, Emily, or me. Emily will most likely make muffins and cupcakes. I don't know Vanessa well enough to know what she will do. Ness is a shy girl who will want to follow and learn. Please let her learn with us. The kids most likely will be helping. Be ready, these kids are great helpers! Right, Sethy?" Bella ruffled my hair, and then she washed her hands after getting my stool so I could do the same.

"Ready and waiting, Bella!" I washed and dried my hands and was ready and waiting for her to tell me what to do. I loved baking and cooking with her!

"Okay, Sethy. I need you to get the plastic bowls and measuring cups out of the cubby, please," Bella asked, so I grabbed a couple of bowls and gave them to Bella. Then, I got the measuring cup and gave it to her.

"Thank you, Seth." She smiled and gave me a side hug. Yeah!

"I grabbed the flour, butter, eggs, and some spices that I think we will need for the others. Is there anything that you need, Kate? Anna, Bree, grab your hats and aprons from the hooks, please! Thanks!" Bella called. They got their aprons and hats, and they finally saw me. We all started giggling.

We heard a knock on the door, and Charlie made his way to answer it.

"Sue, Esme, and Emily! How lovely for you to come on such short notice! Hello, Love!" Charlie kissed each on their cheek and one on the lips. Eww.

"You must be Jake's girl, Vanessa. I am Charlie Swan, Bella's Dad and family friend of Jake's. It is nice to meet you. Welcome to the Lighthouse, also known as insanity. But we love every minute of it!" Charlie grinned, and Vanessa returned the smile.

"Thank you, Charlie. I have heard rumors about this place and all the antics that Bella, Edward, and Jake have pulled over the years. Jake is always innocent, of course. Hello, Darling, fancy meeting you here."

Jake pulled Vanessa into a hug and laughed.

"Telling all my secrets already sweetheart? That only took ten seconds." Jake rolled his eyes.

"Anytime, Darling. Where are the bakers? I have a job to do!"

Vanessa came into the kitchen, and everyone introduced themselves. We then broke up into groups. Renee tried to make suggestions, and nobody listened to her. I found it almost rude-until she started on me.

"Young man, you will never amount to anything without listening to your elders! What kind of message are you sending to the world with your unkempt appearance and clothes! You should be..." Thankfully Bella stopped her.

"Renee! That is enough! Sethy, don't listen to that mean woman! Charlie, Come get your wife before I hurt her! Picking on poor Seth! You have some nerve! And until you change your tune, you are no longer my mother. Bye, Renee!" If there is one thing you don't do, it's making fun of one of Bella's kids. She is a real mother bear, scary that one. She can make fun of us all day long, but if it's someone else, you will wish for the end.

"Renee, you know better! This boy is one of the sweetest boys out there! Someone would be honored to be his mother and father! You may leave now! I will get a ride from someone else!" Charlie looked pissed.

Renee left, and Charlie and Bella both apologized to me and the others.

Over the next several hours, we baked pies, cupcakes, muffins, cookies, rolls, and loaves of bread. The house smelled like a piece of heaven. It made me not want to leave.

Brody, Colin, Leah, and I all decided to stay with Bella and Edward, at least for the night. We wanted to be there and be ready for Thanksgiving! The furniture in the dining room and living room was moved, and blankets and pillows were everywhere. Someone got our clothing sizes and went to the store to get bath stuff, clothes, and PJ's for us. Bella and Edward had gotten us supplies but never this many at once! It was amazing! I was crying.

Charlie, Jake, Harry, and Edward stayed with us. Leah, Esme, and Vanessa went upstairs with Bella, so they could get their beauty sleep. Each of us got a bath or shower before putting on our clean PJ's. New pillows and sleeping bags were in piles on the couch, one in each of our favorite colors, mine being green, Colin's blue, Leah's purple, and Brady's red. I tried not to cry since I didn't remember the last time I had gotten new bedding.

"All right, kids, let's get ready for bed. We have to get up early to help Bella with the food and watch the parade and every football game we can get!" Charlie was excited.

"All right, old man, be nice to my kids. I know where you are sleeping and where you normally sleep. As for the rest of you, behave. Remember the things that you are thankful for before your prayers. Carlisle, can you say a prayer for us before bed?" Bella asked.

"Of course, Bella. Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts that you have given us, the joy you are showing us, the miracle of each person in this room. Thank you for family, new and old. Be with those who are broken that you may fix them. And each of the children here, let them see that they are worthy of your love and the love of others. In your name, we pray, Amen." Carlisle ended, and the rest of the room finished. "Amen."

The ladies went upstairs, and we fell asleep.

Several hours later, I woke to the sound of someone in the kitchen. I got up and went to the bathroom. After I washed my hands, I went to see what was going on. Sure enough, it was Bella and Esme, and they were putting a turkey in the oven.

"Sethy, what are you doing up? Go back to bed, my dear!" Esme said with love.

"Esme, what time is it?" I asked.

"Honey, it's just before five am. You don't have to help cook until much later. Okay?" Bella came over and gave me a hug. "Besides, once the bird is in, we are going back to bed for a bit. So, you are more than good." Bella winked at me.

"All right. I am excited about my first real Thanksgiving! Wake me up when you need me!" I hugged them both, and then went back to my sleeping bag. I fell back asleep quickly.

Before I knew it, I smelled heavenly smells. The TV was on a show with a bunch of people from a Broadway show, singing and dancing. Laughter sounded through the room. It was warm and happy. Though Jake and Edward were fighting, they were laughing. Charlie was shaking his head.

"Welcome back, Seth. Bells said you helped with the bird this morning. That a boy!" Charlie messed my hair up.

"It was fun. When's the food coming?" I asked.

"Right now, it is time for breakfast. Ness and Bella made a breakfast casserole. Let's go get you some kid." Jake got up and helped me get some eggs, cheese, bacon, and sausage with tons of veggies and some juice. I loved it! I was encouraged to save room since real food was coming. How they didn't consider that real food, I have no idea.

Soon, the dining room and living room were cleaned up, the kitchen table set up with food, table set, and we were sitting, waiting for the blessing.

"Everyone, let us bow our heads and pray. Edward," Carlisle said, indicating Edward should lead the prayer.

"Thank you, God, for the many blessings you have given us. Thank you for each person here and the families they represent. Bless each one and each family. Thank you for the safety of our kids here. Let them see that you love them and have a plan for each of us. Thank you for the love of family, even if it doesn't seem it. Bless this food that you provided. In your name, we pray. Amen."

And we all said Amen.

Food started to get passed around. Stuffing, turkey and gravy, ham and gravy, every veggie I could get, bread and rolls all made it to my plate, even cranberry sauce, which does not look like a sauce. I was not a fan, but everything else was amazing! Laughter filled the Lighthouse. Adults were eating on the couch while the Bible study kids were at the table. Then, after many servings of everything, it was clean up time. After we cleaned up, it was time for dessert. My brain could not handle that much food. Honestly. I had never seen that much food!

Apple, pumpkin, and cherry pies were in front of the line, followed by muffins, cupcakes, cheesecakes, and cookies. Everything was amazing! I didn't think I had ever eaten that much!

We spent time with the Clearwaters and Cullens, trying to get to know them. Both families would be amazing to get to know. Both families would be amazing to live with. But what got me was something that Sue said.

"We have not had children, yet. But if we were to have had kids and named them, Seth and Leah would have been the names we picked!"

That made me smile.

"Would we be able to change our names? I don't like mine," I said.

"Seth is a great name! It is a strong name! Why would you want to change it?" Sue asked with concern.

"Seth I like. It's the Deandre Demon Denali part I don't." I hope that made sense.

Everyone's smile faded. Nobody said a word.

"Seth, I am sure we can come up with a great name for you. What do you want in a name? Do you want a whole new name, or do you want to just get rid of the Deandre Demon part?" Bella asked.

"Deandre Demon Denali. I want a new family and a new last name. I want to go to school-real school. I love your school, Bella, but I think I want to see what an actual school is like. And I want to visit you from time to time." I hope that made sense.

"Of course, Sethy! You are always welcome here!" Bella got up and pulled me into a hug.

"All right, kids, let's not stuff ourselves silly. There will be more later or tomorrow! All right?" Bella laughed and started picking up the leftovers. I could see she was right. We would not have to worry about not having food to eat for a while.

"Brady, Colin, Leah, and Seth, can you kids come outside with me?" Charlie was looking for someone else. "Harry, Sue, Esme, Carlisle, Bella, and Edward, you as well. Ness, Emily, and Kate, please keep an eye on the rest of these kids, especially Sam and Jake!"

Everyone laughed. I went outside and waited. A few minutes later, we were all looking at Charlie.

"I asked you all to come out here to let you know that your new social worker wants to see you kids. You are not in trouble. We have a few things that we would like to discuss with you regarding your new homes. I am worried about you kids. With everything going on, I have two options for you, and both of them are here, Sue and Harry Clearwater and Esme and Carlisle Cullen. There are pros and cons for both of them. But, to be honest, I would feel better if you kids were with the Clearwaters. With Harry being a Sergeant of the Schenectady Police Department, I think that would be a better option for you kids. With your brothers' gang involvement and the fact that they were trying to groom each of you into the gang life, I feel you would be safer there than with the Cullens. While you would be safe with the Cullens, Harry has training that Carlisle doesn't have, and that would make you safer. Do you kids agree?" Charlie looks over at each of us, and I nod. I am sure my siblings also nod.

"We are happy to have each of you in our home. We have a beautiful home one street over from here. The house has enough rooms for you kids. You boys will have to share for a bit, but we are talking about remodeling the attic and adding bedrooms. Leah, you will have your own room. Each of you would have your own bed, dresser, shoes, coats, and clothes. We'll also make sure you have school supplies, backpacks and whatever else you may need." Harry looked a little concerned.

"A bed of my own? No floor? I love it! Thank you!" I ran into Harry's arms and nearly knocked him down. My siblings did the same to Sue and Harry. We were all excited to stay together.

Things changed in my life after that Thanksgiving Day. Living with the Clearwaters was a dream come true. Our new house was very nice looking, which was something I was not used. It didn't have holes in the walls, all the windows opened except one that was stained glass similar to a church, and it was clean. The attic was turned into two more bedrooms once we moved into the house. Brady and Colin got those rooms. Leah and I had bedrooms on the second floor with Sue and Harry. I felt safe for the first time in a place, and I called it home.

Before living with the Clearwaters, my home was trashed. Alcohol bottles, food wrappers, and needles were on every single surface. How none of us got hurt by them is a miracle. It was smoke, rodent, and insect infested. Holes were in nearly every window and wall, making the cold New York winters worse. My family was always sick. We were dirty, wearing old clothes that had not been washed in months sometimes. Some of them did not fit because we were inconsiderate when we had a growth spurt. Food was withheld often so we would stop growing. When the Masen's moved to the Lighthouse, our lives were changed for the better. I am sure we made their grocery bill really high, feeding up to ten extra mouths, plus feeding several kids' lemon addictions.

We still went to the Lighthouse every week, several times a week, honestly. I will forever be grateful for the couple that brought me and my family out of the hell that was my life. I was no longer on the radar for being jumped into the local gang. I learned later that going with the Clearwaters was determined to be in our best interest since James was so high up the ranks in the gang, we would have been sitting ducks. With Carlisle being a pastor. Nobody would feel like he was a threat. Whereas a police officer would have no issue taking someone out. Esme was honest with me one day while I was visiting Bella and Edward and she was there. She knew that we were not meant for her home. Not that she didn't love us or wouldn't love us. There is safety with Harry being a police officer that she and Carlisle did not have. They became foster parents to many other children, adopting several of them.

Bella and Edward also became parents. They fostered and adopted many children through their years of ministry. It turned out, Edward was adopted as a teenager after his parents died. They never said how, but he kept his last name to keep his parents' legacy alive. They also had children of their own, one who they named Seth, after some six-year-old that changed their lives. One of the best days of my life was when they asked me to be his godfather.

My new parents were both members of a Native American Tribe in New York, The Oneida Indian Nation, which made Leah, Colin, Brady, and me Oneida through the adoption. It gave me such pride to have a place to belong. I had a family to call my own. I had traditions and a new language to learn, and it made me excited. I enjoyed my lessons. I loved growing up part of the tribe even if the tribe was about two hours away from us.

I finally found out about my real dad. He was Mohawk, making me half Mohawk, which was really cool. Actually, Leah and I found out we are full-blooded siblings, which really explained a lot. I was grateful for that. Our real dad died in a car accident just after I was born. The car he was driving hit a patch of black ice, and he hit a tree while in the Adirondacks near Lake George on the Northway. He was going to see Leah and me. It was nothing gun related, nothing drug or gang related. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. His name was Laurent. It makes me wonder what would have happened if he had lived. Harry looked him up. He discovered Laurent was trying to get custody of us and bring us to his Tribe. Sadly, that did not happen. Sue and Harry took us to see our family at least once a month to the Akwesasne or St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. I was grateful to be able to spend time with my father's family and learn the ways of my people, even if my Dad was not there.

My name changed as well. My real mom's last name was Denali. I didn't want anything to do with her, none of us did. Leah and I were torn about our last name. We were appreciative of the Clearwaters, and we didn't want to disappoint them or our real father's family. Leah and I agreed we wanted to be Clearwaters but wanted to honor our new family. So, we each decided to pick a name from our native tribe. Leah changed her name to Leah Kateri Clearwater. Saint Kateri was the Lily of the Mohawks. I, on the other hand, became Seth Kariwase Clearwater, Kariwase meaning "A new way of doing things." And through it all, I wanted to live my new life as one my real dad would have been proud of as part of his legacy, one that Bella and Edward would be happy to share as part of their ministry.

What did Bella and Edward do? They gave the Denali kids their lives back. They saved us from the gang life, which would most likely have killed us, or made us killers. We might have ended up in jail. Instead, my siblings, cousins, and I live decent lives, going to college or trade schools and becoming productive members of society. I would have never thought about it before my first Thanksgiving.

Irina and Tanya Denali were both arrested on child endangerment charges. They were put in jail, and I did not keep up with them after that. Once Irina gave up her rights, I was done with her. They had taken too many years of my life, and I refused to allow them to take anymore.

And I can't ever forget the family I gained through the Cullens, Swans, Blacks, and Uleys. While most of my Res family might not support my celebrating Thanksgiving, it will forever be in my heart as a favorite. That Thanksgiving taught me the true meaning of happiness. I was sad for the family that I lost that first Thanksgiving, but more importantly, I was happy for the family I gained.

Eventually, I gained a wife, Cassidy, and children. Edward Harrison and Charles Jacob were twins and my firstborn. Six years later, Isabella Susannah was born. Two years after that, we opened our home to foster children. Over the years, we opened our hearts and home to almost thirty children. We adopted four of our fosters, Kaden, Hadley, Lysander, and Apollonia. My family was blessed beyond measure.

"God built lighthouses to see people through storms. Then he built storms to remind people to find lighthouses." Shannon L. Alder


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